The Metal Bands of Bolero

Brigid the Dragon has been traveling around Earth and the Elemental Planes for hundreds of thousands of years. She has been gifted, purchased, and plundered treasure and many unique artifacts and magic items that are now scattered across her ten active lairs and two more-or-less abandoned ones. She has collected even more books, scrolls, and stone tablets, both magical and non-magical.

   One of the many unique items in her collection is the Metal Bands of Bolero.

 

THE METAL BANDS OF BOLERO

This set of eight armbands made of an alloy of gafnium and gold was created by a Witchkind artificer, Davis Wachee. He spent almost three decades recording performances by his favorite hard rock/heavy metal bands and solo performers via magical means. Using further magic, he transformed the recordings into performances of one his favorite pieces of music, "Bolero" by Ravel, in the style of the musicians and bands.

   Brigid came into possession of the Metal Bands of Bolero following Wachee's death in 2014; he had willed a number of his unique creations to her, stating that she was only being in all the realities who would appreciate them as much as he had.

   Function: While wearing all eight armbands, with four on each arm, the character must hum a random bar from "Bolero" and roll a successful Wisdom attribute check (DC9) as a standard action. Immediately afterwards, the character starts to hear "Bolero" as it would be played by one of the world's top hard rock/heavy metal bands. Roll on the following table to determine which one:

Roll 1d20     Who is Heard Performing "Bolero"

1                    AC/DC

2                    Metallica

3                    Iron Maiden

4                    Led Zeppelin

5                    Black Sabbath

6                    Spinal Tap

7                    Deep Purple

8                    Completely random, not even on the list

9                    Scorpion

10                  Areosmith

11                  Uriah Heep

12                  Wyld Stallyns

13                  Faith No More

14                  Nightwish

15                  Twisted Sister

16                  At the Gates

17                  Manowar

18                  Mike Oldfield

19                  Children of Bodom

20                  Exodus

The wearer of the Metal Bands of Bolero can also choose a specific band to hear with a standard action and a successful Wisdom attribute check of DC12. That check can be the same one made to start the music, or it can be made in a subsequent round.

   The item's default function is that only the wearer can hear the music. The music can be caused to be heard by all by the wearer saying a number between 1 and 10. At "1", the music is very soft and can only be heard within 5 ft. of the wearer. At "10", the volume is that of a live performance in a concert hall or stadium. Ghostly, flickering images of the bad can be seen performing behind the wearer, and they seem to be the source of the music.

   If the wearer says "Take it to 11", all other creatures within a 60-foot radius must roll successful Fortitude saving throws (DC13) or be Stunned and Deafened for 2d6 rounds; and all other creatures within a 120-foot radius must roll successful Fortitude saving throws (DC11) or be Deafened for 2d6 rounds. The saving throw must be made every round subjects remain within the area of effect of the Bands of Bolero and not Stunned or Deafened. (If there are solid walls or floors between subjects and the wearer of the Bands of Bolero, the Fortitude saving throw is DC4.)

What the music produced by the Metal Bands of Bolero could sound like...